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Haunting Wise Raven
Haunting Wise Raven (ホンテイング ワイズ レィベン, Honteingu Waizu Reiben), is an ancient , known as the Lore-Keeper of . He is its historian, a chronicler who has recorded events, legends, myths and stories of these white sands for the last thousand years. It is said that many a Hollow owe their existence to his aid, having provided sanctuary and healing for those gripped by all-consuming hunger or too injured by conflict. He is the guardian of the , ever watchful of his charge and has been a stabilizing influence on the tribes and clans of Hollows who have built for themselves a facsimile of civilization. Appearance Personality History Desert Forest He Who Watches Heaven All Things End Broken World Powers & Abilities Aspect of Death - Sacrifice: Menos Legión (大軍の死王(メノス・レギオン), Spanish for "Minus Army", Japanese for, "Grand Horde of the Dead King"): Though rare it is said that there emerges a Hollow who is able to embody and manifest powers in accordance to an aspect of death. These fearsome beings are able to wield the might of the very concept which defined their death and turn into a weapon. was one such example, a being who embodied the inevitability of death itself, he was a specter of death for no Hollow would dare rise against him for his power was that absolute. Haunting Wise Raven discovered that he too was such a rare breed, stumbling onto his power through ignorance and naivete. By what primordial measure could sacrifice be a power for those consumed by hunger? Where each bite never fills, only deepens the need for consumption? Wise Raven had made his choice when he died, and again when Hollowified. Haunting Wise Raven's spiritual power plateaued over a century ago. It has not increased, no matter how many Hollows he consumes or how much power he attains, it remains stagnate. This is by choice. Much like the former who could split their soul, Haunting Wise Raven too possesses such an ability. But rather than be born from a desire to end isolation, his was born of an promise to those consumed by his hand. When Wise Raven says he is a nation unto himself, it is not an exaggeration. Every soul, every hollow consumed live on within him. They did not fade away into oblivion subsumed by the weight of his will, instead they slumber. Every drop of power he has gained is sacrificed to allow those within him to remain. But in return, he is able to split his soul apart and manifest a Hollow possessing all of their skills, and abilities. These Menos Legión serve as mere extensions of his will, not yet awakened. Doing so requires him to invest a portion of his spiritual power to supplant and sustain their being. Afterwards he is able to direct and control them with the efficiency as one would a limb. The sheer number of specific abilities and powers Haunting Wise Raven can employ at any one time is staggering. A lesser known aspect of this ability is that Haunting Wise Raven can seemingly change the nature of his abilities by sacrificing their current function and form, and alter it into a new form. However such changes are drastic enough that sacrificing an abilities current form cannot be undone, it is forever lost. *'Congreso de La Muerte' ((コングレソ・デ・ラ・ムエルテ), Kongureso de ra Muerute; Spanish for "Congress of Murder", Japanese for "Ten-Thousand Eyes, One-Thousand Crows"): Across Hueco Mundo, the sight of a three-legged raven is not uncommon. Perched atop whatever dune, sky or structure nearby, their golden gaze possesses a captivating intensity- always watching. It is said that in one's most desperate of moments if you beseech these dark messengers, death may yet spare you that day. Through the eyes of these ravens which are spread all throughout Hueco Mundo, a patient and wise force watches. They are his eyes and ears, extensions of his will made manifest, and from their haunting gaze the wise raven see's all. *'Guerrero Gillian' (最下大虚陣(グレリロ・ギリアン), Gureriro Girian; Spanish for "Minus Warrior", Japanese for "Encampment of the Great Hollow"): Great Spiritual Power: Possessing enough souls to be a nation unto himself, the considerable might of Wise Raven’s reiryoku is overwhelming. The depths of such spiritual power would appear almost immeasurable, the requiem of hundreds of thousands of souls singing in the night as the world itself flees in terror from his presence. It is a disconcerting phenomena, to feel each individual aching pain, the relentless hunger, and all consuming despair and death throes of an entire civilization would nearly break the mind of any lesser being. Weak hollows would be subsumed entirely, their forms disintegrating as they too become part of his form, yet his powerful and measured will prevents such tragedy. His power is tightly suppressed, so much so that despite its seemingly infinite depths, even the weakest of Hollows can stand within his presence. Wise Raven is his own master, and the power he wields is his to command. In a thousand years he has attained immense control over his reiryoku, crafting for himself numerous techniques from the powers known to Hollows. *'Mastery of Reiatsu Channeling': A peculiar skill, the ability to focus and harness the powerful fluctuation of one's own power overflowing outward and precisely control how much is leaked and where it concentrates is a rare ability. Of all the skills for Haunting Wise Raven to possesses, this is perhaps the most fundamental, from whence all of his powers are born. This ability is two-fold; the first is that he is able to control his reiatsu to such a degree that the release of his spiritual power can spread itself across vast distances. Ordinarily spiritual pressure is focused within an area, like a beacon of light in the dark to those with keen spiritual senses. This is not the case with Wise Raven, and why sensing his him let alone his movement is extremely difficult. He essentially spreads his "presence" over such a vast space, it is akin to standing within a mountain and trying to discern its exact peak. The reason for this, is tied into the second aspect of this ability, namely his ability to channel his reiatsu into other things. Ordinarily such a feat would be impossible, simply infusing reiatsu after a certain point would enhance something before the overflow would cause it to destroy itself as it is unable to handle the flow of power. Wise Raven's approach is much more subtle, for his reiatsu when it spreads analyzes the composition and spiritual wavelength of a soul, realigning itself to it and then intertwining with the base structural spiritual power of that thing possessed of a soul. In essence trying to discern Wise Raven is as difficult as discerning the spiritual difference between any one grain of sand from the other in the deserts of Hueco Mundo. This skill is important because in any arena of which Wise Raven finds himself in, his reiatsu is released which then seeps into the environment, slipping through the cracks and fissures of the spiritual realm until his reiatsu and that of the world itself become indistinguishable. Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Instinct. That simple word is what best describes the sword fighting capabilities of an Arrancar. Drawn from the wellspring of souls that would populate an entire nation within them, an Arrancar subconciously draws upon the fleeting memories and skills honed by the souls they've consumed to manifest their swordplay. At their strongest, the Vasto Lordes whose prowess is said to exceed that of a Shinigami Captain possess such incredible swordsmanship that the need for training has never been necessary. Yet Haunting Wise Raven practiced with the sword. He trained with it, learned all the flavors its strike. He thought to himself that if he were to emulate a Shinigami then he must train like one as well, and the Zanpakuto, the embodiment of a Shinigami's power required no less than his complete commitment to that promise he made long ago. As a Vasto Lorde Arrancar Haunting Wise Raven's swordsmanship was immense, but having trained for over a thousand years in the art it has become sublime. His skills have developed beyond the arbitary boundary imposed by physical being, having transcended into a realm one would cautiously phrase godlike. For Haunting Wise Raven has distilled from his subconciousness the collective fighting skills of the souls he's consumed, honed those individual styles and then molded them together to create a supreme manifestation of sworrdsmanship. The very testament of his strength, of his ability to split his soul, is nothing more than the embodiment of the murderous sword skill given birth by this single-minded determination. *'La Verdadera Destreza' (天神事剣(ラ・ヴェルダ・デラデストレーザ), Ra Berudadera Desuteraza; Spanish for "The True Art", Japanese for "Heavenly God-like Swordsmanship"): Sonído Expert: An Arrancar high-speed technique, that allows one to slip through the spiritual senses. Exceedingly fast Arrancar can even slip through the Pesquisa of powerful Espada. Haunting Wise Raven is rather adept at Sonído, capable of contending against the strongest Espada with his speed. However he rarely makes use of such impressive movement. Wise Raven abhors needless battle, as such he rarely moves from his location and instead employing his vast array of abilities to overwhelm his opponents. Cero (虚閃 (セロ), Sero; Spanish for "Zero", Japanese for "Hollow Flash"): The ultimate expression of a Hollow's power, the release of a corrosive, wholly destructive spiritual energy attack that rends the flesh, burns the spirit, and obliterates everything in its path. What makes Cero so powerful is that the chaotic and corrosive nature of Hollow reiryoku is collapsed and concentrated, compressing its power into a condensed orb. Once it reaches critical mass, the energy is released in a torrential wave that cleaves through the space it travels through, hungrily annihilating all that comes into contact with it. For all the power and versatility of the Shinigami's Demon Magic, their command of the elements, and the esoteric spells they weave, the Cero has always been capable of rivaling even the mightest of their destructive magic. *'Gran Rey Cero' (王虚の閃光 (グラン・レイ・セロ), G''uran Rei Sero''; Spanish for "Grand King Zero", Japanese for "Royal Hollow Flash"): Through the sacrifice of blood, the greatest most potent conduit for spiritual energy, a Hollow can through the unthinkable act of self-harm bestow their Cero with incomprehensible power. Perhaps due to his aspect of death, the Gran Rey Cero when wielded by Haunting Wise Raven becomes so immeasurably devastating that he has forbidden himself from releasing such an attack in Hueco Mundo. For when he releases such an attack, the Gran Rey Cero wounds space itself, ripping apart spatial dimension, rending apart the very notion of distance until it is irrelevant. The moment this attack is released it is already upon his intended target, literally bypassing "space" itself, leaving a gaping black void in its wake. This dimensional tear is a wound in reality, a cut space that causes the torrential waves oft seen in the dangai and garganta's to bleed into spiritual reality causing even further destructive distrubance. Space within the area becomes convulated, distance haphazard, unreliable, and collapsing upon itself. Only beings possessing vast amounts of spiritual power can stabilize their own existence lest they be swept away in the dimensional current. Bala (虚弾 (バラ), Bara; Spanish for "Bullet", Japanese for "Hollow Bullet"): A technique that fires hardened spiritual pressure. Less powerful than a Cero, but can be successively fired at 20 times the rate. Haunting Wise Raven's Bala have no visible reiatsu, they are for all intents and purposes invisible. They are more akin to bursts of shockwaves that slice with extreme concussive force. Hierro (鋼皮 (イエロ), Iero; Spanish for "Iron", Japanese for "Steel Skin"): An Arrancar's outer skin with high spiritual hardness that serves as armor. While most Arrancar of even passable strength possess formidable Hierro, Wise Raven's Hierro is rather weak in comparison. His skin is no more durable than a Shinigami of his spiritual power, but this is by design. He developed a reijutsu that would harness his Hierro and instead transform that immense durability into an aura. *'Cielo Grava' (空金属 (シエログラバ), s''hiero guraba''; Spanish for, "Sky Metal"): The culmination of his efforts to create a reijutsu to wield his Hierro. Wise Raven projects his reiatsu outward, manipulating what would ordinarily be the super-condensed pressure that acts as armor on an Arrancar's skin into a malleable aura. He reasoned that the supercompression of one’s spiritual power into a single point was far more effective at defending against attacks. Cielo Grava's effectiveness is noted to be many times that of Hierro, and can be deployed at range and against multiple attacks. Furthermore due to the nature of such reiatsu manipulation this technique can be used to defend against attacks that would ordinarily bypass mere physical defenses. Negación (反膜 (ネガシオン), Negashion; Spanish for "Negation", Japanese for "Counter-Membrane") is the beam used by Hollows to rescue their comrades. Though he has since evolved beyond a Gillian, and perhaps even due to his aspect of death, Haunting Wise Raven never sacrificed this ability in the pursuit of power. *'Tejedor de La Negación' (機織り反膜 (トレヘドー・デラネガシオン), Torehedō de ra Negashion; Spanish for "Weaver Negation"): The ultimate expression of his mastery in this ability, Haunting Wise Raven is able to emit thin streams of hyper-condensed reishi which forms the curtain encompassing the barrier for the Negación. Whereas a Gillian can only form rectangular beams, Haunting Wise Raven can form them into any enclosed shape he desires or as sheer barriers. The ability to completely isolate spaces from the dimension they are in is a highly valuable skill, and one he has used the most throughout his life to save fellow Hollows from certain death. Enhanced Pesquisa (探査回路 (ペスキサ), Pesukisa; Spanish for "Inquiry", Japanese for "Probe Circuit"): An Arrancar's ability to measure and locate Reiatsu. While other spiritual beings tend to rely more heavily on their reikaku to "see" their adversaries, Hollows have developed a unique combination of supernal senses to detect their prey. All Hollow's possess supernatural olfactory abilities, it is how they begin the hunt following hollowification. They detect spiritual bodies through a sophisticated sense of smell, discerning the relative strength and density of spiritual beings. Such is the degree of this ability that Hollows can detect a strong presence even across dimensions. The Quincy exploited this feature through the use of their "Hollow Bait" in order to lure Hollows into prepared kill zones. But as a Hollow increases in strength, they begin to develop their spiritual senses, until they instinctually awaken Pesquisa. Only Arrancar have displayed the use of such a power given their humanoid form, however the cognizance granted by Pesquisa is fundamentally different than that of a Shinigami. *'Ojos Lunares de Los Astros' (認識(オホス・ルナレス・デ・ロス・アストロス), Ohosu Runaresu de Rosu Asutorosu; Spanish for "Eyes of the Moon and Stars", Japanese for "Cognizance"): In ages past, long before he was known as Haunting Wise Raven, he had been a particularly gifted spiritually aware Human. The power he displayed while not powerful it had been immensely useful. This power he referred to simply as ninshiki which allowed him to connect with the spirits of all things, sharing in their perceptions of reality, even other spiritual beings. Such a power had value that his Shinigami ally had capitalized on before their bond deepened into friendship. Yet as time progressed he would eventually learn that this power had not been fully realized. When he connects to another living thing, he discovered through his heightened spiritual senses that his reiatsu intermingles with another beings, emulating its characteristics until they become shared. This is what allows him to share senses with others. As above, so below. It is a mystic term referring to relationship between the macro and the micro, and is immensely relevant in this instance. As this ability can in effect be chained between multiple beings by using their own reiatsu as a method of broadcasting his own further extending the range and number of beings he is able to share senses with. He is able to parse through all connections in this manner, even with staggering numbers ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of tiny life forms each lending their own perspective to him. In essence the greatest strength of his ninshiki was not the ability to share senses but rather Wise Raven's ability to perfectly mimic the characteristics and properties of other spiritual beings. Trying to discern Wise Raven from anyone or anything else is virtually impossible, as his spiritual pressure may as well be their own. Descorrer (解空(デスコレール), Desukorēru; Japanese for "Loosed Void", Spanish for "Drawing Back/Opening"): A technique used by Espada-level Arrancar and sometimes others, to open a Garganta between the living world and Hueco Mundo. It literally tears open the dimensional fabric separating the worlds, revealing a tunnel of whirling, torrential energy that must be focused and solidified to create a discernible pathway. Haunting Wise Raven's mastery of this technique is sublime. He commands far greater skill and proficiency with this technique then any other before or after him. When he engages in any conflict, his reiatsu which has already seeped into the environment around begins to move, the hakudo goes unnoticed, indistinguishable from the ebb and flow of the energies as normal. Around him, a loosed void begins to fill the space, a smokey darkness filled with twinkling lights. His Descorrer does not take the form of a portal, but a mist that permeates through the area. From within the mist, all manner of Hollow's hide, waiting to be unleashed. His adversaries must travel through the mist, which is no different than traveling through a garganta, the space between dimensions, meaning any foe must contend against a space that is possibly, virtually limitless between themselves and Wise Raven. High-Speed Regeneration: Ascensión de Ra Sangres ((), ; Spanish for "Ascendency of Blood", Japanese for "Power of the Demon King's Blood"): The difference in power between a Cero and when it is empowered by blood is as vast as the distance between heaven and earth. Such a drastic, and visceral change lead Wise Raven to explore the applications of this phenomena. He would later develop this technique, a means of empowering himself and his abilities, it was as if he had released his zanpakuto. Resurrección Corona de Tristeza (悲しみの大王大群(コロナデトリステザ), Korona de Torisuteza; Spanish for, "Crown of Sorrow", Japanese for "Great King's Horde of Sorrow"): Haunting Wise Raven's Zanpakutō takes the form of a strangely designed katana. Its handle, sheath and the backside of its blade all feature a unique rune-like pattern running along it. If one listens closely, the Zanpakuto hums faintly, with a melody that produces no sound, and only when one is under the crushing weight of despair. It calls to others beget by sorrow, its soft aria offering comfort and rest. *'Resurrección': Its release command is, "Awaken" (寝覚め, nezame). :Resurrección Special Ability: *'Overwhelming Spiritual Power': *'Cero Oscuras' (黒虚閃 (セロ・オスキュラス), S''ero Osukyurasu''; Spanish for "Dark Zero", Japanese for "Black Hollow Flash"): Zanpakutō Meihō Gōka (鳴鳳業火, lit. "Screaming Phoenix Hellfire"): A Zanpakutō that was once wielded by a Shinigami a thousand years ago. Its wielder had been a guardian, a mentor and a treasured friend to Wise Raven before he became a Hollow, and then even after. But death claims all in its embrace, and the Shinigami who wielded this fearsome blade would die in trying to save Wise Raven's pitiable life. In remembrance he swore an oath, and made promise to honor his fallen friend. When he, a monster who existed only to consume was given mercy, then he too would share this gift with his brethren. Perhaps one day the promise he swore would be fulfilled. Meihō Gōka would undoubtedly change as the very nature of a Hollow is rooted in death and darkness. Even so, this blade, this katana with its crimson cross-guard, and monochrome handle fitted with a sheath that is as black as the night, this Zanpakutō which now rests at his side, the fire and light it sheds still yet burns pure. *'Shikai:' Its Shikai release command is, "Scorch the Heavens" (天を焦がす, ten o kogasu). Meihō Gōka ignites in black-red flame which runs across the length of the blade. Thin fiery wisps leak from the sword scorching the earth wherever the drop. Whatever burns becomes scarlet mist which permeates the area, punctuated by the death throes of a fading avian howl. :Shikai Special Ability: Meihō Gōka's Shikai is the "flames of death and rebirth" (死と再生の炎, shi to saisei no honō). Fire that is not fire, flame that burns but does not reduce to ash or scorched nothing, that is Meihō Gōka. When its heart mirrored its Shinigami, Meihō Gōka was a weapon of life and peace. The nature of a Hollow however is one of ceaseless hunger, and when it hollowified so too did it change. And so in time it came to embody the raging emptiness behind that gaping maw. The scarlet flames of Meihō Gōka consume and gorge upon the soul of anything it immolates, and in turn those fires become vessels of rich, abundant reishi ripe for Meihō Gōka's taking. The crimson mist released by the flames is the excess reishi released by the death throes of whatever was consumed by its flames. This mist can then be reabsorbed by Meihō Gōka to continue the cycle. That which is dead is reborn, and what was reborn shall die without end. :*'Kokuhō no Yojin' (黒鳳余燼, lit. "Dark Phoenix Smoldering Embers"): The true purpose of the flames is not merely to burn, but to remake this scorched world in the image of Wise Raven, for the world shall become kindling for his grand rebirth. When those scarlet flames burn they break down the boundary separating Wise Raven's irresitable will and influence, from that of whatever is consumed in flame. His reiatsu leaks in, and in the process of this rite of purification becomes synonymous with his own. The flames, the scarlet mist, all of it, are extensions of his power, a conflagration that burns, and devours everything before him. He once fought a Quincy who relished in the abundance of rich reishi now flying about and in his arrogance absorbed the power around him. It burned him from the inside out, his blood boiled, and his insides were set aflame as his being became subsumed in scarlet fire and the toxic reiatsu of Wise Raven's insidious hollow power. :*'Kokuhō Kaji no Sosei' (黒鳳火事甦生, lit. "Dark Phoenix Immolation Genesis"): Flames whirl and funnel towards the blade subsuming it in pulsating crimson light. Meihō Gōka rumbles with delight at the tribute, a raucous caw echoing faintly from the hilt. Gathering the mist and even the flames themselves, Wise Raven can immolate himself bestowing upon him the rich reishi consumed by his flames, and dwelled within the mist. Through this consumption, his hunger is sated and his energy is restored. His reiatsu becomes replenished refilling itself, and wounds not healed by his impressive regenerative abilities begin to heal. What is more, other Hollows if he so chose can benefit from this application of his power. He can feed them, and grant them temporary respite from the ceaseless hunger and grant unto them healing as well. It is a power that can save even those on the brink of death, though to do so a substantial amount of energy is required. :*'Meihō Shinsei Saisei' (鳴鳳新星再生, lit. "Screaming Phoenix Nova Rebirth"): When the Phoenix nears its end, it gathers pyre and sets itself aflame, consecrating its death and rebirth in immolation. This technique is used as a last resort when Wise Raven falls to unconsciousness or his body succumbs to lethal injury, at which Meihō Gōka will enact this final ability. By extinguishing his remaining reiatsu, and gathering all of the blazing fires and scarlet mist available, Meihō Gōka enters into its death throes. A massive amount of reiatsu gathers around Wise Raven until it forms a black-white nova that completely subsumes him. Thus rebirth begins. The nova surrounding him rapidly expands into a fantastical explosion of epic proportions, consuming and devouring any and all matter around him as a sacrifice to restore Wise Raven to his full health. The detonation is large enough to cover an area nearly a fourth the size of Seireitei. After-which, everything within the blast radius is simply gone, as if it had vanished, leaving only Wise Raven. The astronomical cost and intensity of this technique forcibly seals Meihō Gōka for a duration of seven solar days. Until then the sword's luster blackens, appearing burnt and damaged. :*'Meihō Mekkayku' (鳴鳳滅却, lit. "Screaming Phoenix Total Annihilation"): *'Bankai: Meihō Kinshi Myōō' (明鳴鵬金翅明王, lit. "Wise Phoenix Golden-Winged Illumination King"): The realization of an age old promise now fulfilled in the visage of scorched heavens. Wise Raven releases his hold on the Zanpakutō which floats and hovers before his center mass as seething flame pours forth from the blade. A torrential wave of heat punctuated by a deafening explosive roar blasts forth from the Zanpakutō immolating Wise Raven and converging like a burning pyre. Tides of fire belch forth in waves rising higher and higher into the sky behind it until the heavens burn crimson red and the scorched earth becomes ash. A massive form ascends from the pillar of flame, with wings of roiling flame and choked ash unfurl. A single beat of its wings sends a titanic shockwave dispersing dust and cloud for as far as the eye can see. Majestic, regal, its sublime form is a thing of exquisite beauty and unyielding fury. Twin orbs like the blazing sun gleam with cunning sapience, its penetrating gaze casting judgement on the world below. From its chest Wise Raven descends wreathed in a flickering flame aura, Zanpakutō held in hand a blazing mandala hovering just behind his head. :Bankai Special Ability: